Sudanese Police Arrest Bodyguards of Leading Islamist Dissident

Published January 6th, 2001 - 03:00 GMT

Government police arrested three bodyguards of Sudanese opposition leader Hassan al-Turabi after breaking up a meeting of his Popular National Congres

Government police arrested three bodyguards of Sudanese opposition leader Hassan al-Turabi after breaking up a meeting of his Popular National Congress (PNC), a senior official with the party said Saturday.

Police on Friday "stormed an ordinary meeting chaired by Turabi held by about 60 members of the party and held everybody until midnight before setting them free," said the official, Mohamed Alamin Khalifa.

He said three of Turabi's bodyguards were arrested on charges of carrying unregistered weapons.

The government-run SUNA news agency reported that the "security authorities dispersed an unauthorized meeting by the PNC in a residential area of Khartoum" because of unspecified "secret activities."

The agency confirmed that an unspecified number of people "were charged with carrying arms without a license."

Turabi, a well-known Islamist, helped Bashir seize power in a 1989 coup but lost his influential position when Bashir dissolved parliament a year ago -- KHARTOUM (AFP)